Self-closing gate



Dec. 14, 1965 w. D. MARTIN 3, 3

SELF-CLOS ING GATE Original Filed Oct. 24, 1963 INVENTOR. Mum/5 5. Mew/v United States Patent "Ice Oct. 24, 1963. This application Mar. 15, 1965, Ser. No. 445,828

2 Claims. (Cl. 39-84) This invention pertains to self-closing gates and is particularly directed to apparatus for automatically returning and retaining a gate in closed position.

This is a substitute for an abandoned application Serial No. 318,648 filed Oct. 24, 1963.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a gate closing apparatus that is simple in construction and highly durable and long lasting in operation.

Another object is to provide a centering and closing device for a gate, door or the like which is smooth and quiet in operation and highly dependable in service.

A further object is to provide a gate closing mechanism having a smooth clamping action to prevent excessive and improper swinging of a gate to avoid injury and harm, especially to small children who may use the gate.

Further features and advantages of this invention will appear from a detailed description of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a self-closing gate structure incorporating the features of this invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 2-2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view on the line 33 of FIG. 1.

As an example of one embodiment of this invention there is shown a gate comprising the top rail 11, bottom rail 12 and the hinge member 13. The hinge member 13 is pivotally and axially slidably supported in the lower support bearing 14 having an integral mounting flange 15 suitably fixed to a wall or post support 16 by suitable bolts 17.

The upper end of the hinge member 13 is pivotally and axially slidable in the upper support bearing 18, FIG. 2, which is integrally connected to a plurality of outwardly radially extending brackets 19 to the outer ends of which is fixed the cam ring 20 in turn rigidly fixed at 21 to a mounting plate 22 secured to the wall 16 by suitable bolts 23. Fixed to and extending radially outwardly from the hinge member 13 above the upper support bearing 18 is the cam roller arm 24 on the outer end of which is journaled the cam roller 25 which is adapted to roll on the top edge cam surface 26 of the cam ring 20 to limit the downward axial position of the hinge member 13 and the gate 10. The cam surface 26 has a depressed centering portion 27 to receive and position the cam roller 25 for closed position of the gate 10, and upwardly sloping cam surface 28 and 29 for lifting the gate when swung open as the roller is raised to either position 25a or 25b, FIG. 3. The tendency under infiuence of gravity acting on the gate is for the roller to roll down to the depressed centering portion 27 to normally close the gate.

To increase the smooth operation of the gate and assure its prompt return to normally closed position there is provided a control spring 30 having its lower end fixed at 31 to the top end of the hinge member 13 and having its top end fixed at 32 to an angle bracket 33 fixed to the wall 16 by suitable bolts 34. The spring 30 is mounted between the top of the hinge member 13 and the bracket 33 so that the spring is at all times compressed axially for any swung position of the gate but 3,222,806 Patented Dec. 14, 1965 with increased axial downward pressure as the gate is swung to either open position so as to cause the cam roller to be forced down the sloping cam surfaces to aid in swinging the gate to closed position. Further, when the gate is in closed position with the cam roller 25 in the depressed centering portion 27 of the cam ring 20, the spring 30 is in neutral position so far as any twisting torque is concerned. However, whenever the gate 10 is swung to either open position the spring 30 is wound up in one direction or the other so that the torque thus developed in the spring assists the axial pressure of the spring and the sloping cam surfaces 28 and 29 in closing the gate. It is important to note that the twisting torque is substantially nil as the gate is first swung immediately each side of the normally closed position which makes for easy starting in initially swinging the gate from closed position to start the cam roller 25 up a slope 28 or 29.

While the apparatus herein disclosed and described constitutes a preferred form of the invention, it is also to be understood that the apparatus is capable of mechanical alteration without departing from the spirit of the invention and that such mechanical arrangement and commercial adaptions as fall within the scope :of the appendant claims are intended to be included herein. Having thus fully set forth and described this invention what is claim and desired to be obtained by United States Letters Patent is:

1. A self closing gate comprising in combination:

A. a support,

B. a hinge member pivotally and vertically axially slidable on said support,

C. a cam ring fixed on said support surrounding said hinge member having,

D. a depressed centering portion upwardly facing cam roller receiving surface,

E. upwardly sloping cam surfaces extending along each side of said depressed centering surface,

F. a cam roller j ournaled on said hinge member adapted to be received in said depressed centering portion and roll on said upwardly sloping surfaces so as to raise said hinge member and gate when said gate is swung to either side of closed position and to cause said gate to normally return by gravity to closed position when released,

G. and further means to return said gate to closed position comprising a combined torsion and compression spring having one end fixed to said support and its other end fixed to said hinge member in neutral torisonal condition when said cam roller is in said depressed centering portion for yieldingly normally torsionally swinging said gate to closed position while axially yield-ingly forcing said cam roller against said cam surface on said cam ring and in said depressed centering portion to hold said gate in closed position.

2. A self closing gate comprising in combination:

A. a support,

B. a hinge member pivotally and vertically axially slidable on said support,

C. a cam ring fixed on said support surrounding said hinge member having,

D. a depressed centering portion upwardly facing cam roller receiving surface,

E. upwardly sloping cam surfaces extending along each side of said depressed centering surface,

F. a cam roller journaled on said hinge member adapted to be received in said depressed centering portion and roll on said upwardly sloping surfaces so as to raise said hinge member and gate when said gate is swung either side of closed position and to cause said gate to normally return by gravity to closed position when released,

G. and further means to return said gate to closed position comprising a combined torsion and compression spring having one end fixed to said support and the other end fixed tosaid hinge member in neutral torsional condition when said earn roller is in said depressed centering portion to normally torsionally swing to and hold said gate in closed position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1926 Malnrberg 16-154 1/1928 Blackwell 16-154 X 4/1935 Ferris 16-154 X 7/1937 Barr 39-84 7/1952 Anderson et a1. 16-154 2/1953 Enghauser 16-154 X 11/1960 Slopa et al. 16-154 FOREIGN PATENTS 6/ 1934 Australia. 4/ 1956 France.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

D. L. TAYLOR, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A SELF CLOSING GATE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: A. A SUPPORT, B. A HINGE MEMBER PIVOTALLY AND VERTICALLY AXIALLY SLIDABLE ON SAID SUPPORT, C. A CAM RING FIXED ON SAID SUPPORT SURROUNDING SAID HINGE MEMBER HAVING, D. A DEPRESSED CENTERING PORTION UPWARDLY FACING CAM ROLLER RECEIVING SURFACE, E. UPWARDLY SLOPING CAM SURFACES EXTENDING ALONG EACH SIDE OF SAID DEPRESSED CENTERING SURFACE, F. A CAM ROLLER JOURNALED ON SAID HINGE MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE RECEIVED IN SAID DEPRESSED CENTERING PORTION AND ROLL ON SAID UPWARDLY SLOPING SURFACES SO AS TO RAISE SAID HINGE MEMBER AND GATE WHEN SAID GATE IS SWUNG TO EITHER SIDE OF SAID CLOSED POSITION AND TO CAUSE SAID GATE TO NORMALLY RETURN BY GRAVITY TO CLOSED POSITION WHEN RELEASED, G. AND FURTHER MEANS TO RETURN SAID GATE TO CLOSED POSITION COMPRISING A COMBINED TORSION AND COMPRESSION SPRING HAVING ONE END FIXED TO SAID SUPPORT AND ITS OTHER END FIXED TO SAID HINGE MEMBER IN NEUTRAL TORISONAL CONDITION WHEN SAID CAM ROLLER IS IN SAID DEPRESSED CENTERING PORTION FOR YIELDINGLY NORMALLY TORSIONALLY SWINGING SAID GATE TO CLOSED POSITION WHILE AXIALLY YIELDINGLY FORCING SAID CAM ROLLER AGAINST SAID CAM SURFACE ON SAID CAM RING AND IN SAID DEPRESSED CENTERING PORTION TO HOLD SAID GATE IN CLOSED POSITION. 